


I Wish For This

by sociallyawkward_fics



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Family, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 10:23:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13074873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sociallyawkward_fics/pseuds/sociallyawkward_fics
Summary: Virgil may have not wanted to make a big deal out of his birthday, it never went well, after all, but to have the other sides not acknowledge it hurt. Didn't they care?





	I Wish For This

**Author's Note:**

> Heyooo!!! Technically where I live it is exactly 11pm, so it IS still December 19 here, therefore I am still posting on Virgil's birthday. I speed wrote this entire thing in barely than two days and it's unbeta'd because not only did I just finish it, but my beta also isn't feeling great so I don't wanna make them work more with finals and everything.  
> Hope you enjoy!

Virgil awoke from his nightmare with a start. Checking his phone, he decided it wasn’t worth it to try and get back to sleep. Four in the morning was a perfectly reasonable time to start the day.

He made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee, not caring that the caffeine would only serve to make the day’s anxiety worse. Checking his phone again while waiting for it to brew, he finally realized the date.

Oh.

It was his birthday.

Virgil shrugged it off. His birthdays usual ended up awful, there was no point in trying to focus on it. It would only end up making him feel worse.

Even if the other sides were more accepting of him now, they wouldn’t celebrate it. They probably didn’t even remember, if they even knew in the first place.

Virgil looked away from his phone to discover that he had completely zoned out, simply staring at his blank phone screen. His coffee was finished brewing.

“Fuck it,” he muttered with a yawn, and grabbed the entire pot to take back to his room.

It was going to be a long day of avoiding everyone, after all.

* * *

Roman woke with a groan to someone relentlessly knocking on his bedroom door. He peeled his exhausted eyes open to check the clock on his bedside table. _Seven AM_.

The knocking wasn’t stopping. Weren’t they getting tired? Ugh. a prince needed his beauty sleep!

Roman slowly slid himself from his toasty cocoon, shivering as the cold winter air caressed over his sleep-warmed skin. He _really_ needed to get Logan to turn the heating up…

How did they even have heating? They lived in Thomas’s head! How could the mindscape even get cold?!

Roman shook the thoughts away. It was weird, thinking about their situation, and it always ended up giving him a headache. Similar to the headache that _incessant_ knocking was giving him.

He flung the door open, preparing to glare at whoever was on the other side, but couldn’t muster the heart to when he was met with Patton’s panicked face. Logan stood behind him looking as tired and disheveled as Roman felt.

“Patton?” Roman yawned.

“It’s Virgil’s birthday!” Patton hissed back quietly.

Without warning, Patton grabbed both his and Logan’s hands and dragged them into the commons.

“It is Virgil’s birthday,” Patton repeated, this time at a normal speaking volume, as there was no more risk of Virgil overhearing. “And we are going to make today special for him.”

“How is it even possible that we _have_ birthdays?” Logan muttered, still appearing half asleep. “We’re not _people_.”

Roman, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep, was inclined to agree. Then he saw Patton’s teary scowl.

“We celebrated our birthday! We have to celebrate his!” Patton was really about to cry now, a few tears almost escaping. “He’s _family_.”

Understanding bloomed on Logan’s face. Roman was still lost. It was way too early for this.

“Virgil’s first video,” Logan mumbled, barely audible, but Roman immediately understood.

“That must’ve been a shitty birthday last year,” he said.

“Language,” Patton chastised, but it lacked it’s usual heat. “And that’s why we have to make this year _super_ special!”

Suddenly, Roman wasn’t tired anymore. He’d given Virgil so much grief up until recently. He had a _lot_ to make up for. Virgil’s birthday this year had to be _perfect_.

“I’m in,” Roman said, placing his hand in the middle of the three of them.

Patton beamed and placed his hand on top of Roman’s. They both glanced toward Logan.

He sighed and placed his hand on theirs. “I suppose, if it will make Virgil happy,” he said.

Patton cheered and hugged them both, before pulling back into a huddle formation.

“Alright, so here’s the plan…”

* * *

Logan huffed as he walked up the stairs to Virgil’s bedroom door. Yes, he wanted Virgil to feel welcome and included as one of them, he very much wanted to celebrate his birthday with him, but he felt that Roman and Patton made the entire thing needlessly complicated. What was wrong with a quiet, calm celebration? Did they really have to do all this sneaking around and elaborate planning?

He knocked on Virgil’s door and waited. His fellow side was most likely awake, but it was difficult to predict with his sporadic sleep schedule.

Virgil opened the door a crack, expression guarded and eyes tired.

“What?” He asked carefully.

“Patton wa-” Logan stopped.

Was that the _coffee pot_ on Virgil’s bedside table?

“Why is the entire coffee pot in your bedroom?” Logan asked incredulously.

“I was thirsty.” Virgil replied without missing a beat, like he’d rehearsed it.

Knowing him, he probably had.

“Anyway,” Logan continued, adjusting his glasses and still eyeing the coffee pot. He could _really_ use some caffeine. “Patton would like you down for breakfast.”

Virgil hunched his shoulders up a little. Shrunk back. “Can’t you just… tell him I was asleep? That you didn’t want to wake me?”

Logan met Virgil’s eyes now, arching an eyebrow. “Are you certain that is wise? Remember last time Roman wanted to sleep through breakfast?”

Virgil’s eyes widened. They’d all be subject to Patton’s “Tickle Monster” tendencies, of course, but he had always been gentle so as to make it fun for everyone.

When you tried to skip out on family breakfast, though? He was _ruthless_ (though still not _cruel_ ), going for your worst spots and not stopping until you cried for mercy. It sure got Roman out of bed, at least, face tear-stained and a smile glued to his face for hours.

He was perfectly fine, of course, with Patton carefully knowing everyone’s limits, but he flinched away from every touch, giggling, for the rest of the day.

“Tell him I’ll be down soon,” Virgil muttered and shoved his hands deep into his hoodie pockets.

Logan nodded and began to walk away before a thought occurred to him.

“I will start up some more coffee if you wish, but I require the pot to do so.”

Virgil shyly handed Logan the pot and he slowly started making his way back to the kitchen, already prepared to warn Patton that Virgil would be anxious from caffeine-intake.

Logan smiled to himself. Sure, they were weird, but there was never a boring day with his family around.

* * *

Patton bounced anxiously on the balls of his feet as he waited for Virgil to come down to breakfast. Logan had come back from his room nearly ten minutes ago, saying that Virgil would be down soon. But how soon was “soon?” What if the food got cold?!

He didn’t really think Virgil would be comfortable with a Tickle Monster attack like he’d given Roman that one time. Virgil wasn’t nearly as comfortable with the playful gesture as Patton and Roman were, and he didn’t wanna upset him on his birthday. Plus, Logan said he would already be really anxious because he had caffeine. But how else could he get his kiddo out of bed?

He had just finished setting the table when Virgil came down. Patton beamed, but tried to keep it looking like his normal smile. The birthday stuff was supposed to be a surprise, after all!

“Good morning, kiddo!” Patton called happily, gesturing for Virgil to sit at the table.

He had done his best to make things he knew Virgil liked. French toast with extra cinnamon, topped with a none-too-thin dusting of powdered sugar. Bacon cooked to the perfect mix between crispy and burnt. Fresh fruit, of course, not because it was Virgil’s favorite, but because they needed at least _something_ healthy at the table.

They all took their seats and began to serve themselves. Patton quickly got in an argument with Roman about eating his fruit and almost didn’t notice how little food Virgil put on his plate. It was even less than normal, and that was saying something.

“Virgil, are you feeling well?” Logan asked, voicing Patton’s concerns.

“I - uh - yeah, I’m fine,” Virgil stammered out.

“Are you certain?” Roman asked.

Patton got up from his chair, pressing his lips to Virgil’s forehead without a second thought. He didn’t _feel_ like he had a fever…

The Patton realized Virgil had frozen. He’d gone completely still and had tensed up. Patton quickly took a step back, giving Virgil his space.

“I am so sorry, kiddo,” Patton said. “I should’ve asked first, or warned you. I know you don’t like sudden touching. I was just trying to see if you had a temperature-”

“Patton,” Virgil said gently, but it effectively cut him off nonetheless, “it’s fine, really. Just didn’t expect it is all.”

Patton gave a relieved smile and sat back down. “Well, you don’t have a fever,” he said, “but are you _sure_ you’re feeling alright?”

“I’m fine,” Virgil muttered, “just didn’t sleep well.”

Logan frowned. “Yes, that would negatively affect his appetite,” he said. “As would the caffeine from this morning causing him heightened anxiety.”

Virgil hunched his shoulders a bit, guilty. Patton squeezed his hand to let him know it was okay.

“I have brewed some decaf coffee, however, if you would like that?” Logan asked.

“Uh, sure,” Virgil muttered. “Thanks.”

“I got it,” Roman said, already beginning to stand. “I was about to grab some juice anyway.”

 _Juice_ . How could Patton have forgotten _juice_?!

Wait, Roman didn’t even _like_ juice. That was Logan and Patton who drank it regularly. Obviously, the same thought had occurred to Logan and Virgil, as they stared bemusedly at his back as he walked into the kitchen.

Roman returned with the entire coffee pot but only a single glass of orange juice, which he placed in front of Virgil. At his questioning glance, Roman simply shrugged.

“It’ll give you some energy,” he said, then furrowed his brow. “At least, I think it does. Either way, it’s healthy.”

The rest of breakfast was filled with endless chatter. Roman, about his latest quest. Logan, explaining the fascinating science behind gorgeous planetary nebulas. Patton himself, waxing poetic about how great pets were.

Virgil remained mostly silent, but that wasn’t unusual for him. He was the least talkative out of all of them. Patton did notice he was more quiet than usual, however, which concerned him to no end. Hopefully, after the kiddo woke up a bit, he would be feeling better. Patton was at least glad that Virgil grabbed more food and managed to eat everything he’d put on his plate.

After breakfast, Patton set out to start cleaning up. Roman volunteered to help before anyone else could.

“Well,” Patton heard Logan say behind him. “As the others are currently occupied, would you like to help me with Thomas’s schedule for next month?”

“Uhh, sure?” Virgil replied.

Patton heard them head up the stairs and smiled.

Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

Virgil was fine. He tried to tell himself that. He’d been trying for the past who-knew-how-long.

Breakfast had been fine. He hadn’t really been eating anything substantial as of late, only pretending to eat at previous meals to appease Patton. He’d just been feeling… _anxious_ lately. More anxious than normal, at least. So breakfast had been nice, finally eating enough after a while of not being able to stomach it.

Then Logan had asked for help with Thomas’s schedule. That was not very normal at all. Logan _never_ asked for help with a schedule. He was way too stubborn and independent for that.

Then he had entered Logan’s room and seen the utter _disarray_ it was in. and stopped questioning it.

“I’ve been a bit… _overwhelmed_ as of late, it seems, so I do appreciate your help with the schedule,” Logan had said.

So the two of them sat down and carefully talked through Thomas’s schedule, making sure to give Thomas enough time between videos to work and relax. They didn’t finish until nearly lunchtime.

Then, Roman grabbed him in the hallway and asked if he wanted to have lunch in his realm. Apparently, he need Virgil’s help with something as well.

So Roman took them out for a light picnic lunch on the grass outside his castle before leading Virgil to the royal stables. There was a skittish colt that Roman had rescued, it’s mother having passed from infection. The colt wouldn’t let anyone near it and refused to eat or drink.

“Wouldn’t Patton be a better choice for this?” Virgil had asked, eyeing the colt warily.

“I thought you could relate to his situation more,” Roman had replied quietly.

After a few hours, Virgil had not only gained the little foal’s trust, but he had gotten it to eat and drink some stuff as well. Roman thanked him profusely, telling him he could visit the little guy whenever he wanted.

The moment he had left Roman’s room and realm, he was caught by Patton, who asked if Virgil wanted to do a little art project with him. Virgil, unable to deny Patton’s puppy-dog eyes, said yes. Patton told him to meet in his room after changing into some clothes he wouldn’t mind getting messy.

When Virgil had changed into an old tshirt and some ratty sweatpants, he had gone to Patton’s room. They did some finger painting and ended up getting more paint on themselves than on the paper.

Patton ended up “accidentally” (Virgil wasn’t convinced, it was totally on purpose) starting an all-out paint war. By the end of it, they were both covered head-to-toe in brightly colored paint. Patton had smiled at him and told him to go clean himself up, that he would handle cleaning the room.

So, Virgil had left to take an almost-scalding shower for nearly an hour and changed into his usual hoodie and some comfortable sweatpants.

And now here he was, alone in the silent mindscape. He didn’t know where everyone had gone, but he couldn’t find them anywhere he looked. It was barely past their usual dinnertime, where could everyone have gone?

Virgil sat on the couch and felt sorry for himself.

Sure, he had told himself he didn’t want a big deal made out of today, but no one had even _acknowledged_ it. Yeah, it had been great spending time with everyone, but they showed no signs that they knew or cared about what today’s date was. Even a small “Happy birthday!” in passing would’ve made his entire day.

So Virgil told himself he was fine, just like he had been doing all day. He told himself he didn’t care and that it didn’t matter.

The problem was he _did_ and it _did_.

He had gotten closer to the other sides in the past few months. He cared about them (he always had, but even more so now that they were closer to each other) and had thought they cared about him, too.

He thought they were becoming a family.

Virgil sat on the couch, holding back tears. He lost track of how long he sat there, alone. No one came to check on him. No one was even bothering to start dinner, despite how late it had gotten.

“Happy birthday to me,” Virgil whispered, closing his eyes as a single tear made it’s way down his face.

That broke the dam.

Just as Virgil was about to start sobbing, he felt himself being summoned into the real world with a tug. He appeared on Thomas’s couch with tears streaking down his face.

“Surprise!!” Four voices yelled in unison.

Virgil looked up.

Thomas’s living room was completely covered in purple and black streamers. Balloons floated around the ceiling and bounced along the floor. Virgil smelled his favorite comfort foods cooking for dinner and a cake sat on the coffee table, the icing reading, “Happy Birthday Virgil!”

“Wha…?” Was all Virgil was able to get out, tears still flowing.

Patton, Logan, Roman, and Thomas stood in front of him. When they saw his tears, their grins immediately faded.

“Kiddo, what’s wrong?” Patton asked gently, taking a seat next to Virgil on the couch.

“I-I thought you forgot,” Virgil croaked out. “Or just didn’t care.”

“Virge,” Thomas started, “how on earth could we forget about _you_?”

“More importantly,” Patton added, “how could you think we wouldn’t care?”

Virgil shrugged.

Logan stepped forward, prompting Virgil to look at him. “You are important to us.”

“You’re family,” Roman finished gently.

The tears, which had just barely stopped, came back full force, this time for a different reason.

“Aw, Virgil!” Patton said, and wrapped his arms around Virgil. “We love you, kiddo.”

Patton pulled them both off the couch and instigated a group hug. Warmth surrounded Virgil on all sides as his family held him.

“Love you guys, too,” he whispered.

Eventually, they had to abandon the hug so that Patton and Thomas could finish dinner, but the warmth of it stayed with Virgil. The five of them lounged in the living room as they ate dinner, watching _The Black Cauldron_ with _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ next on the list.

After dinner had settled in their stomachs, the movie was paused and candles were placed in the cake. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to a blushing (yet grinning) Virgil and cheered when he blew out his candle.

“What’d you wish for?” Roman asked excitedly.

Patton gasped. “You can’t ask that!” He cried. “If he tells us, then it won’t come true!”

Logan shook his head with an exasperated yet fond look on his face. Thomas simply laughed at their antics.

Virgil chuckled. “Don’t worry, it already has,” he said.

At their questioning looks, he continued.

“I wish for this.”

Patton and Roman beamed, teary-eyed. Even Logan’s eyes seemed a bit misty behind his glasses. Thomas tossed an arm around his shoulders.

“You have this,” he said quietly, “for as long as you want it.”

They quickly composed themselves and played the movie again while eating their cake. Roman very nearly started an all-out war by smearing frosting on Logan’s cheek. The only thing that stopped the situation from escalating further (well, further than both their faces already being half-covered in frosting) was Virgil’s loud laughter.

It was a rare sound, melodious and sweet. _Happy_. Contagious.

Soon, they were all laughing, and Roman and Logan called for a truce before going to wash their faces. When they returned, they brought gifts.

Virgil’s eyes went wide. “You guys didn’t have to get me anything,” he said. “You _shouldn’t_ have.”

“Nope!” Patton said, popping the “p.” “We love you and you deserve the best, so you get gifts!”

Virgil accepted the neatly wrapped packages, gingerly placing them in front of him, still feeling undeserving.

“What are you waiting for?” Logan asked.

Virgil looked up at him. He looked _eager_. Eager to see Virgil’s reaction. It made a warm feeling blossom in his chest.

So Virgil went for the one wrapped in navy blue wrapping, a neat white ribbon tied in a bow on top, knowing it was from Logan. It was a thin rectangle, hard and unsquishable. A book? Knowing Logan, it would make sense.

Virgil opened it and found that it was, in fact, a book. Not just any book, however. It was Logan’s _Alice in Wonderland_ puzzle book. He looked up at Logan with his eyes wide.

“But…” Virgil started, but was unable to finish, voice blocked by emotion.

“Well,” Logan said, adjusting his glasses, “you liked it so much and I really don’t use it much anymore, so I thought I’d pass it onto someone who would appreciate it.”

“Logan, thank you,” Virgil said, choked up.

Logan simply smiled.

“Me next, me next!” Patton cried.

Virgil smiled and grabbed another present, wrapped in baby blue paper with a pastel yellow ribbon looped around it. This one was oddly shaped and squishy. He had no guess for what it could be.

He carefully removed the ribbon and paper to find an Eeyore stuffed animal.

“Because,” Patton started, voice soft, “Eeyore is kinda sad all the time and he doesn’t always want to do stuff with his friends because of it, but they all loved him anyway!”

By the end of Patton’s explanation, Virgil was tearing up again. “Thanks, Pat,” he managed.

Roman eagerly sat forward, waiting for his to be opened. Virgil smirked a bit.

He reached for the last gift, wrapped in a shiny red paper with a shiny gold ribbon wrapped intricately around it to match. It was a rectangle like Logan’s, but thicker, like a box. It was very solid.

Virgil opened it. It was a massive makeup kit, filled with tons of colors and tons of products. A gasp left his lips.

“I know you usually just do the eyeshadow under your eyes,” Roman said with a teasing grin, “but I thought you might like to experiment a bit. I know you liked the video Thomas did with Ben, where Ben did his makeup?”

Virgil chuckled a bit and sifted through the kit a little.

“Thanks,” he said with a bright smile.

As Virgil was setting the kit down, Thomas jumped up and ran behind the couch.

“We’re not done yet!” He called, and tossed two more presents at Virgil.

Virgil ducked as the presents bounced off him. They were soft and squishy, like Patton’. More stuffed animals? No, they were too big, too square (though one was an extremely misshapen square).

“ _Thomas_ ,” Virgil said, upset that the man had spent more money on him.

“ _Virgil_ ,” Thomas mimicked. “You’re family, you deserve it.”

Virgil turned back to the two new gifts. They were wrapped in Christmas themed Disney paper, Mickey Mouse and Friends wearing Santa hats and building snowmen littered across the surface. Virgil raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

“It was all they had at the store!” Thomas defended, and Virgil chuckled.

He went for the lumpier one first, tearing the wrapping paper (carefully, he felt bad ruining Thomas’s hard work). It was a Stitch onesie.

Virgil let out a tiny, watery laugh. He had always loved _Lilo and Stitch_ , and related to Stitch in more ways than one. The gift meant a lot to him.

“Thanks, Thomas.”

“There’s still one more!”

Virgil chuckled again and picked up the second package, tearing through it less carefully than he had the others. It was a fuzzy, insanely soft blanket. A black background with dozens of little Jack Skellington heads wearing different expressions all over it. Virgil grinned. He definitely had a new favorite blanket for movie nights.

He looked up at the others. His family. All beaming at him. All loving him.

“Thank you guys so much for tonight,” he said.

“The night’s not over yet!” Roman said

“Yeah, we still have to finish _Nightmare Before Christmas_!” Patton tacked on.

Virgil smiled as his eyes landed on his new Stitch onesie. “Can we add Lilo and Stitch to the list?” He asked.

Thomas set a hand on his shoulder as he sat back down. “Of course, Virge. It’s your night, after all!”

Virgil had never smiled so much in his life. His family piled onto the couch with him. Roman snapped them all into their onesies, grinning at the sight of Virgil in his new Stitch onesie.

Virgil didn’t remember falling asleep that night, but he awoke the next morning feeling more well-rested than he had in… well, ever. He was a pile of limbs with the other sides and Thomas, you almost couldn’t tell where one started and the next began. Virgil snuggled back into the pile with a smile.

It wouldn’t hurt to lie around for a bit longer.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! Feel free to scream at me here or on tumblr at sociallyawkward--fics (everytime I link it, it deletes my authors note so i guess i'll stop). I live off your validation. I also accept prompts.  
> Also, because this fic is unbeta'd and it is now very late, if you see any mistakes let me know and I will fix them right away!


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